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A Self-Schema Approach to Healthy Eating

Department of Psychology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, deborah.kendzierski{at}villanova.edu

Obesity is a major health problem in the United States. This makes weight management an issue for all patient populations and especially for the psychiatric patient population because of the possibility of medication-induced weight gain. Mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants can induce weight gain, potentially resulting in both health risks and nonadherence to psychotropic therapy. Screening and intervention to promote healthier eating habits are recommended. This article reviews the research on healthy eating and other self-schemas (i.e., personally important domain-specific self-definitions) to provide a framework for understanding how the way people define themselves in terms of their eating habits affects their thoughts and behavior. Finally, implications of a self-schema approach for effective screening and dietary intervention are outlined.

Key Words: self-schema • self • nutrition • health behavior

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